Very Cherry Berry Smoothie
May 28, 2012
Very Cherry Berry Smoothie (recipe by “Oishii!”)
My notes: Here’s another tasty smoothie, this time all in red and named by my partner David, with red tart cherry juice, strawberries, and raspberries.
I’ve noticed over the past few years that cherry juice is gaining in popularity. I’m a big fan of fresh tart cherries (such as Montmorency), but they have a very short growing season, available only for a few weeks around the end of June and beginning of July in the Midwest. I’m happy to see that our producers are marketing them not only fresh and dried, but also more often in juiced and in concentrated forms as well.
Ingredients
makes 2 servings
- 2 cups (9 ounces) frozen strawberries
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) frozen raspberries
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt (I like Dannon brand)
- 1 cup 100% red tart cherry juice (Trader Joe’s brand is great or see below for substitute)
- 2 tablespoons honey
Preparation
Process all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Divide between two glasses.
Prep Tip: Purchase fresh fruit when it is on sale, clean, and freeze it in single layers in plastic freezer bags.
Ingredient Note: A cheaper alternative to 100% red tart cherry juice is to use canned frozen cherry juice. Old Orchard makes delicious 100% fruit juice blends such as cherry pomegranate. You can skip the honey if you use these already sweet juices.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I develop in my test kitchen. My inspiration comes from cooking magazines (Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking, Food & Wine), cookbooks, blogs, online food communities such as Chowhound.com, popular restaurants, tv shows, friends, and family.
Now it’s your turn. Do you love cherries or do you have any great ideas for smoothies? We would love to hear from you if you enjoyed this post. -Michael
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Purple Berry Smoothie
January 31, 2012
Purple Berry Smoothie (recipe adapted from “Smoothies: 50 Recipes for High-Energy Refreshment,” by Mary Corpening Barber, Sara Corpening, and Lori Lynn Narlock)
My notes: Last month I was on a smoothie kick, nourishing my David back to health. You could call this one the “Get Well David Smoothie.” It is my favorite smoothie of all time. I love all the berries, which are rich in antioxidants, combined with the grape juice and vanilla yogurt. It’s smoothie perfection–well that is if you don’t mind a few seeds. Another thing I love about this drink is that I can find ingredients for it year round. When fresh berries are not available, they can be easily purchased in the frozen section of any of my grocery stores.
Special thanks to our friend Charissa who sent granola bars (pictured next to the smoothie) as part of a care package for David. When somebody loses his appetite and must take food with medicine at all hours of the day, these kinds of “super foods” are lifelines.
Ingredients
makes 2 servings
- 1 1/2 cups (7 ounces) frozen blueberries
- 1 cup (4 ounces) frozen blackberries
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt (I like Dannon brand)
- 1 1/4 cups grape juice (100% fruit juice)
Preparation
Process all ingredients in a blender. Divide between two glasses.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I develop in my test kitchen. My inspiration comes from cooking magazines (Bon Appétit, Fine Cooking, Food & Wine), cookbooks, blogs, online food communities such as Chowhound.com, popular restaurants, tv shows, friends, and family.
Now it’s your turn. Do you make smoothies? Share a link to your favorite recipe in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you if you enjoyed this post. -Michael
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Kari’s Kick Ass Corn and Avocado Salsa
August 21, 2011
My notes: Need I say more? When you are in the mood to give somebody a butt whooping, this is what you serve them. And they’ll thank you for it. Kari made this salsa for us last summer us before I tested it out on myself. She unmercifully did not turn down the heat. “I knew you could handle it,” she said with a knowing eye and a 
. Yes, thanks Kari for sharing what I consider to be the best salsa I have ever tasted. You really kicked my Midwestern bootie!
In my version (below) I turned down the heat a bit and upped the ratio of corn and tomatoes to avocados. This salsa is a gorgeous and healthy way to incorporate plenty of fresh summer produce into your cooking. It’s essentially a pico de gallo with avocado, sauteed corn, and a little cumin added in.
Kari’s Kick Ass Corn and Avocado Salsa (recipe adapted from Kari Hornfeldt)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- fresh corn cut from 3 cobs
- kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 large cloves minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 medium sized jalapeno peppers, minced with seeds (use more jalapenos for extra heat)
- 1 cup chopped cilantro, packed
- 3 avocados, chopped
Directions
Do ahead up to a day before: Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and sauté corn. Some of the kernels will start to brown. Add kosher salt to taste. Transfer to a medium sized bowl to cool. (shortcut: use 2 1/2 cups Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn.)
Make the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the apple cider vinegar, lime juice, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and cumin.
In a large mixing bowl combine corn, garlic, tomato, red onion, jalapenos, and cilantro. Add dressing to the other ingredients and mix. Let the flavors meld for at least a half hour.
Just before serving: Add chopped avocado. Toss lightly and serve with tortilla chips.
Ideas: If you like this recipe try Guacamole Salad. I also enjoy Salsa Verde. Check out my top 9 recipes that use fresh herbs.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
Now it’s your turn. Do you have a salsa recipe that would kick our butts? If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Please leave feedback in the comments section below. -Michael
Asparagus Salad with Sesame Seeds
April 9, 2011
Asparagus Salad with Sesame Seeds (recipe adapted from “Big Bowl Noodles and Rice–Fresh Asian Cooking from the Renowned Restaurant” by Bruce Cost with Chef Matt McMillin)
My notes: Spring has arrived. Here is a great salad that uses fresh asparagus, which is now in season. It goes well with seafood dishes. I like to serve it with garlic shrimp. It would be tasty with shrimp in lobster sauce too.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 12 ounces asparagus, cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Preparation
In a dry frying pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds until golden brown. Transfer to a small bowl and cool.
Boil asparagus in salt water for about 3 minutes, until crisp tender. Drain in a colander and run cold water over to stop cooking. Dry with a kitchen towel; flour sack towels work great.
Whisk together the rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, mustard, peanut oil, and sesame oil. Toss salad with dressing. Sprinkle sesame seeds over asparagus just before serving.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
October 24, 2010
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (recipe by “Oishii!”)
My notes: I love dips of all types. Here’s one that’s guilt free. Serve it with red pepper strips, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or pita chips for a healthy snack or appetizer. It would be a great addition to a kid’s lunch box too.
Ingredients
- 1 can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2/3 cup roasted red peppers from a jar, drained
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/3 cup tahini
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon warm water
- kosher salt
- optional garnishes: fresh parsley, paprika, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.
Preparation
Add to food processor garbanzo beans, roasted red peppers, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, and kosher salt. Process all ingredients. Adjust olive oil to taste. Put in serving bowl and sprinkle extra extra olive oil on top if you wish. Optional: Garnish with fresh parsley, paprika, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, etc.
Ideas
Great with falafel sandwiches. For a similar recipe, try Michael’s Hummus with Toasted Pita Chips or Michael’s Baba Ghanoush and Toasted Pita Chips. If you like the flavor of tahini, Jersusalam Salad is nice too.
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
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Bulgur, Garbanzo Bean, and Cucumber Salad
October 23, 2010
Bulgur, Garbanzo Bean, and Cucumber Salad (recipe by Bon Appétit, October 2010)
My notes: Healthy eating can be as easy as cooking some bulgur wheat, mixing a simple dressing, and adding a few fresh ingredients and a couple of items from the pantry. This light salad is something you would expect to find behind a gourmet deli counter. It would be a perfect vegetarian main dish, or as an accompaniment to a baked fish or my roasted chicken salad with dried cherries and peanuts. Hothouse cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and dill are available all year long in the produce section at supermarkets, so this is a nice idea for any season.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole grain quick-cooking bulgur (11 to 12 ounces)
- 2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
- 2 1/2-pint containers small red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup diced unpeeled English hothouse cucumber
- 1 cup diced roasted red peppers from jar
- 2/3 cup (packed) chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Ingredients note: Bulgur wheat can be found in natural food stores, Middle Eastern specialty grocers, and some traditional grocery stores. Look for jarred roasted red peppers in the Italian section of grocery stores.
Preparation
Cook bulgur in large saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Rinse with cold water to cool; drain well. Transfer to large bowl. Add garbanzos and next 4 ingredients.
Whisk vinegar and cumin in small bowl. Whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper; pour over bulgur to coat salad. Season with salt and pepper
What’s oishii? “Oishii” (pronounced “oy she”) is the Japanese word for delicious. I love sharing great recipes I discover from popular restaurants, cookbooks, food magazines (Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, etc.), tv shows, friends, family, and other blogs. I also develop my own. Please contact me if there is a recipe you would like the test kitchen to consider: michaelwbeyer@hotmail.com
If you enjoyed this post, we would love to hear from you! Your feedback in the comments section below is essential to the success of this blog. -Michael
